GURGAON: A delivery boy allegedly returned to a Faridabad house two hours after handing out a parcel – having changed his clothes and armed himself with a knife – and robbed a woman and her elderly mother-in-law of gold jewellery.Police said the accused knew the house well because he had made repeated deliveries there and deliberately targeted it after finding that no man lived there.Veerpratap Singh alias Veeru (24), originally from Agra, was arrested by the crime branch of Sector 48 police station Saturday.ACP Varun Dahiya said Veerpratap had worked as a delivery boy for three years and knew the house well. “He had delivered parcels there several times and had even conducted a recce before striking,” he added.According to the complaint, the woman and her mother-in-law were at home on Aug 26. Around 10am, Veerpratap arrived and asked about the receipt of a parcel before leaving. About 11.30am, the same man returned, but in different clothes.Assuming he had come to deliver another parcel, the woman’s mother-in-law opened the door and went inside to call her daughter-in-law.Police said Veerpratap barged in, pulled out a knife and threatened both women before taking their gold jewellery and fleeing. It was not immediately clear how much gold was stolen.The daughter-in-law approached Surajkund police station on Friday, following which a case was registered under sections 309(4) (robbery), 333 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault, or wrongful restraint), 351 (criminal intimidation) of BNS.The crime branch worked on technical inputs and information from sources to identify the suspect before arresting him Saturday.“Before committing the crime, the accused examined the surroundings. He was familiar with the fact that only women, including a senior citizen, would be present at home. He had come prepared,” Dahiya said.Police said no previous criminal record had been found against Veerpratap so far.“Yes, we did not find any previous criminal record and it was his first crime. We have taken him into police custody and will probe the reason behind the crime and try to trace his associates, if any,” Dahiya said.Police are trying to recover the jewellery and knife and ascertain whether anyone helped plan or execute the robbery.Dahiya advised residents not to allow delivery personnel inside their homes. “People should go out and accept deliveries or be very careful while receiving them from a safer distance,” he said.
